How to Infuse Olive Oil

Boost olive oil’s flavor and aroma by using heat or time to mingle the oil with herbs and spices.

Whether you want to drizzle it, cook with it or give it to a friend, flavor-infused olive oil is an easy project to do in your own kitchen. Here’s how to get started.

Infused Olive Oil: Made with Heat For infused olive oil you can use right away, heat it on a cooktop or range before bottling.

Tip: There are no exact measurements for the oil and flavorings because everyone’s taste is different. As a place to start, aim for filling the glass container with about 80 percent olive oil and 20 percent flavoring ingredient.

Wash the glass containers and lids in hot soapy water, and then sanitize them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Use tongs to dip corks in boiling water several times. Let all bottling components drip dry on paper towels

Heat the olive oil and your desired herbs or other flavoring ingredients (see lists below for specific tips) for several minutes until the mixture starts to bubble. Remove the pan from the heat right away if it starts to smoke. Let the oil cool completely before straining and bottling it

Pour the cooled oil into the fine-mesh sieve to strain out the flavoring ingredients. Using the funnel, pour the strained oil back into the glass container and seal it

Tip: Rosemary, thyme and other woody herbs can be heated directly in olive oil to infuse their flavor. The infusion method is the same as described above: heat oil and flavoring ingredients until bubbly, let the mixture cool, and then strain and bottle it.

Tip: For a prettier presentation, put sprigs of woody herbs into the bottle with the cooled oil.

Tip: Buy whole spices. Either use them whole to infuse the olive oil or grind them right before using them; this provides a more intense flavor in the infused oil. The infusion method is the same as described above.

4 Uses for Infused Olive Oils

Dress up the container to give infused oil as a beautifully fragrant gift.